Billionaire Bars

Ok, so WOW. When I saw these I just knew I had to make them. I love millionaire bars (you know, the ones with shortbread, caramel & chocolate) well these have a layer of COOKIE DOUGH in between the caramel and the chocolate. :O C.O.O.K.I.E.D.O.U.G.H!

This recipe is from one of my favourite bloggers Lindsay Landis of Love and Olive Oil and it’s from her new book The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook. I changed the recipe a tiny bit, mainly because I didn’t have any double cream, but pretty much stuck to it. They are totally amazing. I mean come on, billionaire bars? One up from millionaire bars! The whole book is because quite simply, who doesn’t love cookie dough? I’m often amazed I actually get any cookies baked as I just want to eat the dough!

These were just as fantastic. Believe me, you need these in your life now.

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You will need:

> 20cm x 20cm cake tin, lined
> Rubber spatula

Makes 9-12

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread:
> 1/3 cup butter
> 1/3 granulated sugar
> 1/2tsp vanilla extract
> 1/4tsp salt (I omitted this as I used marg)
> 1 cup plain flour

For the Caramel Layer:
> 7oz caramel (sweeties if you can find them in the UK, I’ve searched high and low and could only find a tin, which wasn’t fantastic as it didn’t set right)
> 2tbsp double cream (I didn’t have, so omitted this)

For the Cookie Dough:
> 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g) butter
> 1/4 cup granulated sugar
> 1/2 cup light brown sugar
> 2tbsp double cream (I didn’t have any, so used 1tbsp milk, this worked fine)
> 1/2tsp vanilla extract
> 3/4 cup plain flour
> 1/8tsp salt (I omitted this)
> 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

For the Chocolate Glaze:
> 4oz chocolate
> 1tbsp butter (I used 2tbsp as my chocolate was not the best melting chocolate in the world and had a tendency to burn easily.)

Method:
> Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line the cake tin. Ensure you have an overlap of lining over the edges so you can remove the bars easily later.
> Make the shortbread first, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
> Add in the flour and beat until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, but forms into a crumbly dough when you press it with your hands.
> Press the mixture into the cake tin and level it off.
> Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until it is lightly golden and firm to the touch.
> Leave to cool whilst you make the caramel layer.

> Place the caramel (and cream) in a small saucepan and cook until everything is melted.
> Pour the caramel over the shortbread and level it off.

> Place it into the fridge for at least an hour until the caramel is set. This is where I came into problems as I used a tin of caramel, mine didn’t set properly so I did end up squishing it a bit when I added the cookie dough. Didn’t affect the taste though! But like I said I couldn’t find any plain caramel sweets in UK supermarket, they were all chocolate coated 🙁
> After the caramel is set, make the cookie dough layer.
> Beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the cream (or milk in my case) and vanilla extract and mix in again.
> Add in the flour and mix until well combined.
> Stir in the chocolate chips using a spatula or spoon.
> Place the cookie dough on top of the caramel and spread it into an even layer. You’ll see here some of my caramel leaked, but hey ho they tasted bloody amazing!

> Place it in the fridge again whilst you melt down the chocolate.
> I used milk chocolate and I really don’t like dark, however this meant I needed 2tbsp of butter as it burnt very easily so to get that glossy, smooth melted chocolate I needed a little extra butter.
> Place the chocolate and butter in a glass dish and place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir and then place in the microwave in 10 second increments until everything is melted and it’s nice and glossy. You can also place the chocolate and butter over a saucepan of simmering water to melt it if you prefer.
> Remove from the fridge and pour the chocolate over it. Using a spatula, spread over evenly and make as smooth as possible.

> Place back in the fridge until the chocolate is set, then remove from the tin and cut into slices.
> Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.